Every day this last week I've gone to the local shelter here in Pasadena to look for a dog. I'm shopping for the right fit for us once we move into a condo we have a bid on and are waiting to hear back from. Today we saw a Shiba, German sheppard, Alaskan Husky and a Pitbull/Border collie mix that we liked and loved a Ye old English Bulldog/Boxer mix. In regards to the border collie/pit mix... who raped who? Would a mix of a pit and anything be a good dog to have? I'm not worried on any of the other choices honestly but a mix with a pit bothers me for some reason. Just in case you wondering the mix looked like a border collie (colors) but with the build of a pit bull. It looked kinda goofy and cute at the same time.
All it amounts to is doggie racism. I've owned dogs of many breeds (though all mixes) and the pitty we have right now is more affectionet and loving than any of them. He also obeys pretty well since he is so eager to please. No matter what dog you end up going with, props to you for adopting from a shelter...
Unless your condo has a large private fenced-in yard these all seem like bad condo dogs. (The idiots who live next to me have a pit bull and a chow that both live in their little apartment patio.) If your HOA or lease has any breed restrictions, pit bull will be at the top of the list.
Unfortunately we have to wait on getting one till we move but we will get them from a shelter. I was kinda sick thinking about some of the dogs the other day. Several older 5-6 year old dogs in the pens. I didn't think anyone would want a 5yr old slow moving chihuahua (sp?) or a 6 year old poodle... Went there today and damn if they werent adopted (sign said adopted but havnt been picked up yet). Go figure. I really like the American Bulldog/Boxer mix... he was really friendly and loving. (i mistyped and put ye old english).. The condo we are getting has a decent back yard for a condo.. I was surprised on how big it was considering how tiny/almost nonexistent the current one is. The backyard of the condo we are waiting to hear back from has a nice concrete wall around the perimeter that would keep all but the most determined dogs inside the yard. Another reason we are window shopping while we wait to hear back. I'll check on how big the dog they allow is. (good point).
I have a Pointer, Pit and Lab mix and she is a great dog. I adopted her from a shelter. The owner surrendered her and she was abused She is non aggressive to other dogs and people. You just have to spend time with them and not leave them in the yard and forget about them. They need to socialized with other dogs and people.Its all about the upbring of the dog the owner is usually to blame most of the time.
I have a American Bully (pitbull). It's the best and loyal dog ever. Very loveable towards humans, and other Dogs. The pitbull attacks you hear about are from owners that abuse and do not socialize there pit.
Sounds like all of the dogs that you are looking at need a lot of space. More than you will be able to provide in a condo. It's great to hear that you are adopting, but just to save yourself some trouble you might want to look into different breeds. With that said, if you are into training 24/7 and treating the dog as a child, taking it out 4+ times a day for walks and giving it the all the exercise and stimulation it needs, then go for it! BTW, are you looking at the Pasadena Humane Society?
Pasadena is a no kill shelter. You might want to consider checking out shelters where the animals have a limited number of days left. However, FWIW, we adopted 2 of the greatest cats from Pasadena when we first got here.
Yea the Pasadena Humane Society is about 3 blocks from where we live currently so I can walk there every day for excercise and to see what they have. We are still a couple months away from getting one if we do. I need to finish EMT school and get my certification and get a job...
A bulldog would be a great condo dog. A German Shep., not so much. as in not at all if you ask me. Don't just think about how big the yard is but what about inside. I had 2 big GSD and they take up the space inside as well. They are working dogs and always on the job. If you don't give them a job / task to do they'll find one on their own. And when mine did that it was always a problem. lol Amazing dogs though and being a caretaker for the last 16 years was just fantastic. The last one passed last month. We are getting ready to start looking for the new pack. My buddy has a pit lab mix and he's a great dog. Total lover @ about 100 pounds. He could destroy a condo in 10 min or less though. Props to you for looking at the shelters. BTW, might want to talk to the home owners insurance company too. Mine took pics of my dogs when I bought my house. They boo hoo'ed chows, pits, most of the little terrier and a few others.
I have been working in veterinary medicine/animal health since 1988. Here is what I have learned over the years. I would not worry about the dog being a pit bull mix per say. You could name any breed and I could give you a negative trait they almost all exhibit. The same with my friends . I would be curious however about the dogs prior environment-you'll have a hard time getting a good picture of that from the shelter staff. So taking the dog to a trainer to help evaluate the obvious characteristics will help. Have you ever noticed how dogs and owners seem to be very similar in many regards...overweight, friendly, stand-offish, etc. Well that's not a coincidence. Animals repsond to the dominant leader in the group, that's usually the owner for household pets. If the owner is an agressive, private person that does not like to be approached, then the dog will aquire the same characteristics. It's reasonable to expect a few days to allow the dog to acclimatize to your home environment. You should meet with a trainer ASAP and see what they think about the pet as a choce for you. Owning dogs and changing behavior in them can be very difficult and demands attention and dedication. Training requires the whole family to participate. Training teaches the family HOW to communicate with the pet and that will make a huge difference in everyones happiness along the road. Good luck!
